Ethnographers
All but five ethnographic sources report that marijuana use is up in their area. As one Texas
ethnographer described the market, "it is plentiful and potent." In other places (Los Angeles,
Washington, D.C., New York, and Colorado) marijuana use is described as stable, and in San
Francisco, use is characterized as low due to recent scarcity.
While a wide variety of people are using marijuana, the majority of users are teens and
young adults. One exception is Texas where there is a substantial population of adult users. In
general, the user population has stayed the same since the last Pulse Check report, though New
York and Delaware report an increase in fIale users.
Marijuana is smoked in cigarette papers, rolled in cigar paper as "blunts," and in pipes or
"bongs." The reappearance of bongs and water pipe paraphernalia, which were popular in the
1960s and 70s, was mentioned in San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Several sources also
mentioned the appearance of a wide variety of cigarette rolling papers marketed in convenience
and video stores. These papers are typically used by cigarette smokers who roll their own
cigarettes from loose tobacco, but their increased availability may be an indicator of a growing
marijuana market. In Atlanta, the majority of marijuana is home grown, and the ethnographer
reports that marijuana sellers are preparing for the Olympics, anticipating that visitors will
provide an additional market.
Marijuana is used both alone and in combination with a number of other drugs—most
commonly alcohol, and in some areas, crack or PCP. In New York, a variety of Indian
marijuana laced with PCP ("beadies") has gained popularity. Both crack and PCP may be
sprinkled on marijuana; a marijuana cigarette or cigar may also be dipped in a liquid solution
of PCP, dried and then smoked. The ethnographer at the Texas border reports that the teens
who are smoking crack mixed with marijuana often disparage those who smoke crack alone (in
a pipe) as "dopers," defining their own crack use as benign. Two areas (Texas and Delaware)
report the practice of dipping blunts in Ibalming fluid, producing what in Texas is called a
"swisher." Three sources (Georgia, Florida, New Jersey) report that the use of MDMA is
appearing in their areas.
In general, sales of marijuana are separate from the sales of other drugs, and they are
conducted through networks of users. Since a large portion of the supply is grown domestically
or even locally, there are diverse supply sources. For example, many small local growers can
supply an area through an informal system of acquaintance distribution. In Florida, there were
recently 23 arrests in a local high school for sales among a network of friends and acquaintances
in a class of 200 teenagers; teens who were interviewed reported that twice as many students
were actually selling. In general, there is a wide variety of sellers, which reflects the diversity
of the user population.
Marijuana prices vary somewhat by region, though small units (bags) costing $5–$15 are
common everywhere. Each small bag of marijuana can be made into approximately 2-4
cigarettes or fewer blunts. In New York, marijuana may also be sold in glass vials. Prices
range from $30 per ounce for poor grade marijuana (Florida) to $100-$300 per ounce for a
higher quality grade in other areas (Georgia, California). Individual cigarettes sell for $1-$3,
though ones in which marijuana is mixed with crack are more expensive ($10-$15 each). One
Florida ethnographer reports that poor quality marijuana does not sell well, even though it is
widely available, because users value the appearance and smell of the product.
Police
Seven of the ten police sources report that marijuana use and availability is up in their area.
In Colorado, seizures of marijuana are up almost 300 percent over last year. Only the
Massachusetts area reports stable use. Police say that marijuana attracts a wide range of users,
but most are teens or young adults. Changes include more young users in Florida and in
Washington, D.C., where users are as young as middle school children. In Washington, D.C.,
young marijuana users may also be experimenting with snorting household products to get high.
Sources in three areas (Alabama, Washington, D.C., Ohio) report that smoking marijuana in
þbluntsþ is a popular method of ingestion, and two sources (Alabama, Maryland) report the
Iergence of MDMA.
Police sources concur with ethnographers in reporting that the most common method of
distribution is through established networks of users who know each other and handle fairly
small transactions. In Cleveland, sources report an increase in older users as well as more
suburban users/distributors. This is echoed by the Birmingham law enforcement source who
describes marijuana as a white, rural/suburban problem; it is sold primarily through networks
in "yuppie" neighborhoods. Marijuana may be purchased by the gram ($10-$15), by the ounce
( $90- $250), or by the pound ($2000- $5000). Prices depend on quality, with hydroponically
grown products commanding top dollar due to their high THC content. In Boston, the
appearance of small packaging units that cost between ten and forty dollars has made marijuana
more accessible to younger users with limited funds.
In areas like Washington state, where there is a considerable amount of local marijuana
growing, larger organized groups export to other areas. In Florida, for example, a recent raid
of a large estate uncovered $35 million of high quality, hydroponically grown marijuana that was
undoubtedly intended for export. In addition to local supplies, most areas report that Mexican
marijuana is available, though it is generally of poor quality.
Treatment Providers
Less than a quarter of persons entering treatment in all regions have marijuana as their
primary drug of abuse. This proportion is about the same as reported in Pulse Check last
winter. Alcohol is the drug most commonly combined with marijuana, though tranquilizers and
amphetamines are reported in the Mid-Atlantic and Southern states, and in the Mid-West
(Regions II and IV).
In general, marijuana treatment clients are younger than those in treatment for heroin or
cocaine abuse; sources report that approximately a quarter of their clients are under 20 years
old, though a third to a half of them are over 30 years old. Most marijuana treatment clients
in all areas are white, and there is a greater proportion of males. Many treatment providers
comment that persons in treatment for marijuana abuse are novice users of illegal substances,
and even though they may have serious problems with alcohol, most do not have prior treatment
experience.
